OUR TEAM

Jeff Rusnak

PRESIDENT & CEO

216-325-0921
jeff@rstrategygroup.com

Jeff has been at the forefront of many successful initiatives and campaigns at the local, regional and national levels. His career has been dedicated to providing strategic direction and problem-solving for the organizations, causes, candidates, philanthropists, foundations, and businesses that improve our communities. Jeff’s nationally recognized work includes strategic guidance on media, communications, organizational development, public affairs, advocacy, and marketing. He has developed and managed diverse projects for local and national clients in support of education, the environment, arts and culture, economic development, healthcare, justice, transportation, human services, professional sports facilities, and other critical public interest issues.

He has directed campaigns that have resulted in billions of dollars in public funding for the region’s and state’s important assets, including the original 2006 countywide ballot initiative that established Cuyahoga Arts & Culture - one of the top local funders of arts and culture in the US. Jeff also led the successful campaign to renew this tax, which passed by the largest margin of any tax issue in Cuyahoga County in the last 50 years, as well as the campaign to fund repairs and maintenance of Cleveland’s public-owned sports facilities, health and human services levies, and several other major ballot issues.

During his career, Jeff has played a key role in well over 150 races at the municipal, county, state and federal levels, including directing Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael P. Donnelly’s 2018 victory and Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign in Ohio, and serving as a strategist in the campaigns of presidential candidate and Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, Senator Sherrod Brown, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, and a number of other public officials.

Kathy Berta, JD

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

216-325-0922
kathy@rstrategygroup.com

Kathy is an advocacy and community engagement professional with almost two decades of experience helping organizations and individuals to translate their ideas into action. Her areas of expertise include state and federal policy campaigns, campaign management, field organizing, coalition building, event planning, and advocacy capacity building and training.

Kathy’s previous and current clients include the Pew Charitable Trusts, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, Natural Resources Defense Council, Komen Advocacy Alliance, Ohio Juvenile Justice Reform Campaign, Cuyahoga County Action Committee (Health and Human Services Levy), and Atlantic Philanthropies. Prior to joining R Strategy Group, Kathy worked in government relations for the Cleveland Municipal School District and Planned Parenthood of Greater Cleveland.

Kathy has a Bachelor of Arts from the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Akron School of Law.

Calla Bonanno, JD, MPA

SENIOR ASSOCIATE
calla@rstrategygroup.com

Calla is a senior associate with R Strategy Group and brings extensive experience in research, data, targeting, campaign organization and systems management to RSG’s clients. Calla has provided guidance on a wide range of projects including organizing and executing fundraising efforts to scheduling for a candidate for state-wide office. 

Calla graduated with her Masters in Public Administration and Juris Doctor from Cleveland State University in 2018. While in law school, Calla worked as a legal research assistant, legal writing tutor, and as chief law clerk for the Special Investigations Unit at the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.